Love is among the most popular topics in literature. The quote "Love is a triumph of imagination over intelligence," explains the most simple love, love at first sight. Most people falls in love with an outline of a certain someone, though after getting to know them, truly falling in love with heart and soul is for certain. In the play Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, although imagination guides love in the beginning, intelligence plays a more important role in love at the end of the play. Claudio's love for Hero transfers from imagination to intelligence after Hero's innocence is proven. Hero's imagination for love remained until her name was cleared. The love relationship between Beatrice and Benedick starts with imagination, but intelligence progresses their love.
Claudio falls blindly in love with Hero at first sight, with the help of his suspicious nature and fierce imagination. Then he truly falls in love with Hero as her chastity is revealed. Once Don Pedro's army meets with Leonato's family, Claudio immediately falls in love with Leonato's daughter, Hero. He expresses his feelings to the Prince: 'In mine eye she is the sweetest lady that ever I looked on.' (I. i. line 183,184). This quote shows that Claudio imagines Hero to have the greatest beauty. He appears to be mostly in love with her beauty other than her personality. He also asks if Hero is the only child of Leonato, which shows that his imagination allows him to notice and care about everything else except Hero's true character. On the night that Don Pedro promises to woo Hero for Claudio, he is easily tricked by Don John that Don Pedro wants Hero for himself. The night before their wedding, Claudio is once again deceived effortlessly by the bastard, Don John, into believing that Hero betrayed him. He then makes his statement: "If I see anything to-night why I should not marry her to-morrow in the congregation, where I should wed, there will I shame her.
